PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) decisions — 2010

The Board denied service connection for posttraumatic stress disorder and the claim of residuals of a right ring finger injury with amputation. The Veteran's in-service rescue incident did not result in posttraumatic stress disorder.

The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for PTSD was denied as the earliest date of receipt of a reopened claim was March 13, 1998.

The Board has determined that the appellant's PTSD is related to his in-service stressors and has granted service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD is currently rated at 70 percent, which does not meet the criteria for a higher rating. The Board has determined that he does not have total occupational and social impairment due to his PTSD.

The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the need for additional development and adjudication of his claims, including service connection for alcohol dependence secondary to PTSD and a TDIU claim.

The Veteran's PTSD prior to August 30, 2007 resulted in serious social and occupational impairment, including symptoms such as nightmares, flashbacks, sleep impairment, exaggerated startle response, hypervigilance, intermittent delusions and hallucinations, suicidal ideation, avoidance behavior, social isolation, irritability, anger, concentration problems, and difficulty adapting to stressful circumstances. The Board found that these symptoms did not warrant a rating higher than 70 percent.

The Board has determined that there is a need to verify the Veteran's reported stressors and obtain relevant unit histories. The Veteran will be asked to provide details for each stressful event he reports having occurred during service, and the U.S. Army and Joint Services Records Research Center (JSRRC) will attempt to verify these events.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient verification of in-service stressors. The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD will be reconsidered after further development.

The Board found no verified in-service stressor and denied the claim for service connection for PTSD.

The Veteran's PTSD symptoms have been shown to be moderate, resulting in occupational and social impairment with reduced reliability and productivity. The Board has determined that the criteria for a 50 percent rating are met.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD with psychotic disorder was filed on February 24, 2004 and granted effective from that date. The effective date of October 27, 2006 is not applicable as it predates the earliest accepted claim.

The Board found that the Veteran's service connection claims for PTSD and bilateral hearing loss were denied due to insufficient evidence of an in-service stressor. The claim for psychiatric disability other than PTSD was not addressed as it is unclear if this issue was part of the appeal.

The Board has reopened the Veteran's claim for PTSD and granted service connection, finding that new evidence supports a diagnosis of PTSD linked to combat exposure in Vietnam.

The Veteran's PTSD is characterized by severe symptoms including ongoing nightmares, depression, anxiety, anger outbursts, hypervigilance, and social isolation, leading to total occupational and social impairment. The Board has determined that a 100 percent evaluation for PTSD is warranted.

The Board denied service connection for PTSD and psychiatric disability other than PTSD due to the Veteran's failure to provide a verified stressor. The appeal was not about service connection at all, as it pertained to waiver of indebtedness.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date for the grant of service connection for PTSD is granted, with the effective date being February 10, 1992.

The Veteran's claim for a rating in excess of 50 percent prior to June 1, 2004 for PTSD was granted. Service connection for alcoholism secondary to PTSD was also granted.

The Veteran's service-connected PTSD, COPD, atherosclerotic heart disease, and recurrent aspirational pneumonia were found to be causative of his death. The appeal for DIC under 38 U.S.C.A. § 1318 is dismissed as moot due to the grant of service connection for the cause of death.

The Veteran's claim for an effective date earlier than October 8, 2008 for the grant of service connection for PTSD is denied. The RO awarded service connection to the Veteran in March 2009 and assigned a 30 percent evaluation for PTSD as of October 8, 2008.

The Veteran's PTSD has been rated at 70 percent, the highest schedular rating available for this condition.